SB Nation - Josh Jasper

If College Football Had a Playoff: #13 LSU Tigers @ #4 TCU Horned Frogs

Jeremy Mauss — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:07:10 -0000

Before we get to game four the previous matchup of #12 Penn State @ #5 Florida came down to the very end with Penn State completing the first upset, and becomes the second lower seed, but first true upset in the "If College Football had a playoff." The vote was very close 93-87.

This matchup features TCU who is the top non-BCS seed and has dominated nearly every game and has played three teams that are currently ranked or were ranked in the top 25 during the season. This TCU team is top 10 in offense and defense, so LSU will have a difficult time trying to stop them or to moving the ball.

The LSU running game is balanced but nothing dynamic and unless LSU can have moderate success they will eventually become one-dimensional throwing the ball. However, LSU is 13th in total defense which would be the best defense to date that the Horned Frogs would face, and the fastest defense as well surpassing the Utes in that category.

To give some help to those who are not sure who would win I turned to What if Sports to simulate this game. The winner would be TCU in a minor blowout 2 6-3; LSU did have the game tied at 3-3 but then TCU ran off 23 straight points. The Horned Frogs rolled up 320 yards and had the edge in time of possession 38 minutes to 21 minutes.

What if Sports is not the decider in this game, you yes you! The readers of this site decide who moves onto the next round.

So gather your friends to stuff the ballot and check back daily at 12 PM eastern time to vote for the next matchup, and voting is only open for 24 hours. As they say in Chicago vote early and vote often.

TCU Stats

Passing

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
Andy Dalton	12	93.0	174	279	62.4	2484	207	8.9	22	5	107	522	43.5	4.9	3	-	-
Marcus Jackson	7	265.0	2	2	100	23	3.3	11.5	1	0	17	48	6.9	2.8	0	-	-

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Ryan Christian	11	14	66	6	4.7	0	19	244	22.2	12.8	3
Andy Dalton	12	107	522	43.5	4.9	3	0	0	0	0	0
Skye Dawson	7	13	111	15.9	8.5	0	0	0	0	0	0
Yogi Gallegos	1	1	4	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0
Antoine Hicks	12	9	20	1.7	2.2	4	14	309	25.8	22.1	4
Marcus Jackson	7	17	48	6.9	2.8	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jeremy Kerley	12	14	50	4.2	3.6	3	37	457	38.1	12.4	2
Ed Wesley	11	93	605	55	6.5	4	7	142	12.9	20.3	2

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
Logan Brock	5	5	67	13.4	13.4	0
Ryan Christian	11	19	244	22.2	12.8	3
Curtis Clay	11	14	188	17.1	13.4	2
Evan Frosch	3	3	33	11	11	0
Antoine Hicks	12	14	309	25.8	22.1	4
Bart Johnson	12	26	350	29.2	13.5	0
Jonathan Jones	3	3	30	10	10	0
Jeremy Kerley	12	37	457	38.1	12.4	2
Billy Pizor	1	1	10	10	10	1
Ed Wesley	11	7	142	12.9	20.3	2
Jimmy Young	11	27	430	39.1	15.9	3

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	0-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Ross Evans	12	-	-	-	-	-	14	17	80.0%	60	62	100.0%	102

LSU Stats

Passing

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
Jordan Jefferson	11	93.0	169	272	62.1	1964	178.5	7.2	16	6	104	160	14.5	1.5	1	-	-
Jarrett Lee	6	73.0	16	40	40	197	32.8	4.9	2	1	3	-23	-3.8	-7.7	0	-	-
Russell Shepard	10	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	45	277	27.7	6.2	2	-	-

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Trindon Holliday	12	23	116	9.7	5	1	3	36	3	12	0
Jordan Jefferson	11	104	160	14.5	1.5	1	0	0	0	0	0
Brandon LaFell	12	4	6	.500	1.5	0	52	705	58.8	13.6	10
Jarrett Lee	6	3	-23	-3.8	-7.7	0	0	0	0	0	0
Richard Murphy	2	2	10	5	5	0	1	4	2	4	0
Charles Scott	9	116	542	60.2	4.7	4	8	54	6	6.8	1
Russell Shepard	10	45	277	27.7	6.2	2	5	34	3.4	6.8	0
Keiland Williams	10	70	368	36.8	5.3	4	4	22	2.2	5.5	0

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
Richard Dickson	9	20	150	16.7	7.5	0
Trindon Holliday	12	3	36	3	12	0
R.J. Jackson	4	11	141	35.3	12.8	0
Mitch Joseph	2	2	18	9	9	0
Brandon LaFell	12	52	705	58.8	13.6	10
Chris Mitchell	7	10	65	9.3	6.5	0
Richard Murphy	2	1	4	2	4	0
Deangelo Peterson	4	5	82	20.5	16.4	2
Reuben Randle	7	10	146	20.9	14.6	2
Charles Scott	9	8	54	6	6.8	1
Terrance Toliver	10	47	654	65.4	13.9	3
John Williams	1	1	17	17	17	0
Keiland Williams	10	4	22	2.2	5.5	0

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	0-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Josh Jasper	12	-	-	-	-	-	16	19	80.0%	34	34	100.0%	82

Poll

Who wins?

Saturday Lessons: November 28

Year2 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:00:09 -0000

by Phil Sandlin - AP

The farewell was a success.

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"Decaying legend" is the best option for rivalry weekend.

While Alabama and Texas had issues of different sorts against their rivals, Florida had no problem is dispatching Florida State. Tim Tebow had five touchdowns in his victory lap, and Brandon Spikes' defense gave up no points and roughly 110 yards to an otherwise terrific FSU offense before the starters began to get pulled late in the third quarter. It was easily one of the three best performances the Gators have had against BCS teams, up there with the games against Kentucky and Georgia.

It would be tempting to declare that Florida is peaking at the right time. However, FIU is terrible and FSU hasn't played defense in about two or three years. It is true that Florida had much less trouble with the Golden Panthers than the Tide did, but if you're using a September and a November game against a Sun Belt doormat to compare UF and UAT, I don't have words for you. I want to try to make the peaking case in a parallel to 2006, when the Gators struggled a lot of the year but hit their stride in the year's final two games, but I can't really pull the trigger on it.

Alabama showed some cracks and still came up a winner.

The 14-0 first quarter deficit was Alabama's worst since their Sugar Bowl loss to Utah. The seven point second half deficit was their largest since being down five to LSU. Mark Ingram's 30 yards was easily his lowest total of the season, and he eventually went out with a hip pointer. The opponent was coming off of a bye week. Everything lined up against the Tide, and yet with under two minutes to go, they pulled the win out.

Auburn did help some with an extremely puzzling clock management strategy on its final drive, something which amounted to, "let's run off as much clock as we can early and set ourselves up for a 40 yard Hail Mary." Even so, you can't argue with the result as Bama polished off a second straight 12-0 regular season. They stared defeat in the eyes and didn't blink.

We have a nine game winner for the Capital One Bowl.

LSU may not have taken the preferred method for getting to the SEC's best non-BCS bowl, but they got the bid and its accopanying $4.25 million paycheck by edging out Arkansas 33-30 in overtime. Les Miles showed an ability to learn from his mistakes as he managed the clock with aplomb at the end, enabling Josh Jasper to tie it with four seconds to go.

It's been a trying year for LSU, as the Tiger offense finished the regular season in the bottom half of the conference in most offensive categories. They lost to the three toughest teams on the schedule. However, they didn't blow one against a lesser team, and they get to reap the rewards for doing just that since only two other teams in the league managed to avoid that same thing.

Georgia brought home the SEC's marquee non-conference win.

By taking out the ~~Nerds~~ Yellow Jackets, Georgia managed to get the SEC its best non-conference win of the season. Just about no one (myself included) gave Georgia a shot against Georgia Tech, but the Bulldogs not only won but flipped the script. Washaun Ealey and Caleb King each rushed for over 160 yards and combined for 349 on the day while no one on the home team managed more than 41 yards. It's a nice way to cap a disappointing season, but big changes still need to be made.

South Carolina didn't do so bad for itself either.

The Gamecocks made it a clean sweep over the ACC Championship Game participants with their victory over Clemson. It was Steve Spurrier's second over the Tigers in his five years and just the program's third in the last 12 games in the series. C.J. Spiller ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown, but the boys from Columbia took over from there, building a 24-7 lead before Clemson even scored again. The Gamecock rushing attack came alive, rolling up 223 yards in total with freshman Kenny Miles leading the bunch with 114. Combined with a bowl win, it could be a good sign for next season.

Your SEC East Runner Up: Tennessee.

It's been a long road since Phillip Fulmer's tearful farewell press conference, but thanks to owning the tiebreaker over Georgia, Tennessee finished second in the SEC East. It's not exactly an emphatic finish since the Vols needed that tiebreaker to do it and are one of four 7-5 teams in the division, not to mention they had to go to overtime to defeat Kentucky. Still, it's better to be second than third or worse, and Jonathan Crompton managed to mostly redeem himself over the course of the season. It will be tough to repeat the circumstances next year without all of this year's seniors and a complete question mark at quarterback, but that's for next year to worry about.

It was an interesting finish in Mississippi to say the least.

I know some cynics probably predicted doom for Ole Miss thanks to Houston Nutt generally not being able to stand prosperity, but I doubt anyone expected Mississippi State to run away with this game. Anthony Dixon and Chris Relf each went for over 130 yards rushing as Dan Mullen's spread attack worked to peak performance. If the Bulldogs find a workhorse to sub in for Dixon next year, State could definitely make some noise.

It's also probably time to assess where the Nutt experiment at Ole Miss is. The Rebels surprised to an eight win regular season last year, and they disappointed to an eight win regular season this year. Maybe it was a bit much to expect them to pass up Alabama this season, but they didn't even finish above LSU despite winning the head-to-head match up and the Tigers having a dysfunctional offense. Can he win the division there at any time despite this year having the perhaps the most talented team he's ever coached?

LSU 33 - Arkansas 30: Snap Judgments

Richard Pittman — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:19:36 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

18 days ago: LSU running back Trindon Holliday (8) runs past Arkansas cornerback Ramon Broadway (26) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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A win's a win. I guess we've said that a few times this year. For a team that was predicted before the season to be 9-3 at the end, this has been a very tumultuous 9-3 team. It's a team that could well have been 6-6 (near losses to Washington, MSU, and Arkansas). It could have beaten Ole Miss, and wasn't THAT far away from beating Alabama. This is a team that, based on its play on the field, could have gone anywhere from 6-6 to 11-1. 9-3 is, I suppose, not that bad under those circumstances. There will be some thoughts on that later; probably a lot of thoughts from a lot of different writers. Anyway, a few snap judgments:

First, the final drive of regular time. After taking a terrible sack, Jefferson came back and made some nice plays, but the final drive belonged to Stevan Ridley, Josh Jasper, and Derek Helton. Derek Helton? The snap on the field goal was terrible, but Helton snagged the high-and-outside pitch and got it down for Jasper to get a clean hit on it. Tie game.
Jefferson was maddeningly inconsistent throughout the game, vacillating from stretches of brilliance (our touchdown drives) and strange decision-making/inaccuracy (most of the rest of the game). This is a kid with the potential to be an excellent quarterback. He just needs to accentuate the positive while eliminating the negative. There's a lot of positive to work with there.
The overtime was a snoozer. We went 3-and-out kind of pitifully, but got a medium-range field goal. Arkansas nearly had to try a 45-yarder until they got a nice 8 yard gain on 3rd and 12 to set up a medium-range field goal, but missed it. Drake Nevis and Lavar Edwards made great plays to set up the 3rd and long that ultimately decided the game.
Trindon Holliday was the MVP of the first half until he muffed that punt, scoring a special teams touchdown, putting us in good field position multiple times, and running effectively from scrimmage. Then, after the muff, he completely disappeared.
Russell Shepard also disappeared after a little early activity. This is one of the lesser-discussed but most maddening aspects of our suspect offense. In the second half, we tend to tighten up and not put in the homerun hitters.
I did not like the helmet-to-helmet call on Chad Jones. I'm not saying it was technically wrong, but it's been called so infrequently this year that it is surprising to me that it was called on a play where it appeared that Jones at least attempted to lead with his shoulder, and appeared to hit head-to-head only with a glancing blow. We've seen much worse head-to-head hits go uncalled this year.
The defensive line got after it in the first half, then disappeared for long stretches in the second. I don't think it's a coincidence that we did not get a single stop in the second half. When we stopped getting pressure, Ryan Mallett started hitting receivers. The decision to constantly go with a 3-man rush in the second half contributed to the problems, even though the 3-man rush had success in the first half.
The coverage teams were great tonight. I can't wait to see more of Ryan Baker next year.
It was good to see Brandon Lafell walk off. It would have been awful to see such a great Tiger blow a knee in overtime of Game 12 of his senior season.
The offensive line played pretty well this week. Losing Ciron Black will hurt, but I think this could be a good unit next year.
Except for the helmet-to-helmet, I thought the officiating was pretty good tonight.
The corner opposite Peterson continues to get picked on in every game. I sure hope that Jai Eugene makes a big leap in his play next year, or that Morris Claiborne is ready to take over.
With Ole Miss losing, I think we are going to the Cap One, but nothing is official. Who else would they take at this point? Ole Miss? South Carolina? Tennessee? Georgia? We're not exactly a thrilling choice, but those others aren't either. Actually, it will be really interesting to see how the bowls shake out. As of press time, Georgia was still playing Georgia Tech. If they win that one, there will be six, SIX!, teams with 7 wins in the SEC. Ole Miss, at 8 wins, is the clear choice for Cotton, but the Outback and every bowl on down could go in literally any direction after that.

Behind the Numbers: LSU v Tulane

Poseur — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:20:41 -0000

We beat Tulane. Big whoop. I'm doing the Behind the Numbers early just to get it over with. Honestly, trying to glean meaning from a win over Tulane is a fool's errand. Do not read too much into anything that happened.

267. LSU's rushing yards. The running game has been, at times, downright brutal this season. Getting 267 yards against anyone is a feat for this team. Charles Scott rushed for 112 yards, his first 100 yard game of the season. I'm happy for Scott, but let's not call it a breakout game until he does it against a defense with a pulse.

2. Keiland Williams' total touches. He didn't catch a ball and he had all of two carriers. Meanwhile, Stevan Ridley looked great in his 8 garbage time carries and Russell Shepard looked explosive in his five carriers. Shep seems to have taken over the "shifty back" role in the offense, relegating Williams to a few change of pace carries and waving his towel on the sideline. I feel really bad for the kid, who came in as a five star recruit with all of the hype in the world. His LSU career is not what he, or anyone, imagined for him. He's been a good player and, to his credit, he's never publicly complained about his role, but it is probably time to admit he is a bust. Russell Shepard's expanded role will probably come at Keiland Williams' expense.

50. Trindon Holliday had not one, but two 50 yard punt returns. Man, he is an explosive player. He never quite has been a star, but he always has these flashes of brilliance.

2-51. In case you didn't notice, Drew Alleman got the start as the punter. He punted twice in the first half, and shanked them both. Josh Jasper, our do everything special teams guy, came out in the third and punted it 41 yards. I'd rather Alleman shank it against Tulane because it's likely he won't get the chance to do it against Bama. With Derek Helton out, Jasper is now going to have to take every kick. No pressure.

1. LSU's three and outs. In every game, the offense has gone into the tank for an extended period. That didn't happen against Tulane, which was another positive sign. The only three and out was actually the first possession. LSU probably won't go 7/10 on third downs against the Tide, but it was nice to see the offense stay on the field.

38. Tackles by LSU's top linebackers: Kelvin Sheppard (13), Perry Riley (8), Jacob Cutrera (6), Ryan Baker (6), and Harry Coleman (5). The five linebackers also combined for 5 TFL's. It's been a long time since our linebackers were the most productive unit on defense. That is a positive sign going into Alabama. Our linebackers must make tackles.

Things I Worry About: Football Edition

Richard Pittman — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:26:23 -0000

More photos » by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

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I worry about lots of things. Some of the things I worry about are actually important. Some of things I worry about relate to football. None of the things I worry about are both important and related to football. Worrying about football is fun. Worrying about your clients is much less fun, but is motivational.

Anyway, let's talk about the things that worry me, as they relate to LSU football:

1. Defensive Tackle Depth: The LSU coaches have made the tactical decision to go through the whole season playing only 4 defensive tackles, with a 5th getting playing time when the game is already decided. Every other defensive tackle on the roster either moved to defensive end (Lavar Edwards), moved to offensive line (Cordian Hagans), got hurt before the season started (Akiem Hicks), or is redshirting (Chris Davenport). It is a scary proposition to have such a thin unit at defensive tackle, especially when one of the ones you're using is Charles Alexander, who has never stayed healthy for a whole season. Except for a midseason injury to Josh Downs, we haven't been burned by this strategy yet, but there's still almost half a regular season to go.

2. Jordan Jefferson: The kid is still learning. I know this is beating a dead horse, but I sure wish it would have been possible to redshirt him last year. He's a sophomore and he still looks like a little kid with a baby face and gangly features. I want to bring him home and feed him some red beans and rice. He'll eventually fill out and physically mature, but I think we are sure going to wish we still had him on the roster in 2012. That's not a knock against Chris Garrett, who appears to have great promise as a QB. I just think Jordan Jefferson has the potential to a late bloomer and to become outstanding, but he could do so a little bit too close to the time he graduates for comfort. As of right now, he is still a work in progress. He played his best game against Auburn, but it remains to be seen if that is an aberration or a leap forward.

3. The Injury to Derek Helton: OK, he wasn't exactly booming 50 yarders with regularity, but he was getting good hang time on punts, and there has been no threat of a big return on us with him punting the ball. He actually ranks 10th in the league in punting average, but is only 4 yards behind 2nd in the league (Georgia's punter booms it). Josh Jasper can punt the ball just as far down the field, I am sure, but I would hate to see LSU give up a big return at a key time.

While I have more worries, that's all I really have time for this morning. I have to leave a little early, and I slept a little late (5:30am). What worries you?

LSU Tigers 20, Georgia Bulldogs 13: "I Am Whatever You Say I Am"

T Kyle King — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:23:24 -0000

Here, in a nutshell, is my summary of yesterday’s loss between the hedges:

A few days ago, Orson Swindle described Tim Tebow’s injury as a Rorschach test, and the same thing appears to be the case with Saturday’s game in Sanford Stadium. The reactions remind me of a debate held by the Phi Kappa Literary Society in the winter of 2002 regarding the war on terror, in which one of the later speakers on the topic took the floor and said something along the lines of this: "It seems to me that most of you are talking about the same things you were talking about on September 10."

So it is with this. Whatever you thought about the Georgia Bulldogs at 3:30 p.m. yesterday probably had been confirmed for you by 7:00 p.m. yesterday. Consider:

Willie Martinez needs to be fired. Georgia held a 7-6 lead inside the final seven minutes and the LSU Tigers were backed up to their own 12 yard line, yet the Bulldog defense allowed the Bayou Bengals to move 88 yards in thirteen plays to score the go-ahead touchdown. In the course of the drive, a facemask penalty on the Red and Black turned second and eight into first and goal. After the home team went back out in front, the ‘Dawgs gave up a 33-yard touchdown run inside the final minute. The offense had the game won twice, but defensive letdowns allowed Louisiana State to escape with the triumph.

Willie Martinez does not need to be fired. During a first half in which the Georgia offense was accomplishing exactly nothing, the Bulldog defense held the Fighting Tigers to a pair of Josh Jasper field goals when the Red and Black easily could have been down 21-0 at the break. (Compare that to the 2003 effort in Baton Rouge, in which the ‘Dawgs should have been ahead 21-0 in the early going, yet they went on to lose a seven-point ballgame under the sainted Brian VanGorder.) Georgia picked off a Jordan Jefferson pass in the end zone, forced two LSU punts in the fourth quarter, and held the Bayou Bengals nearly nine points below their season scoring average. This was "bend but don’t break" at its finest, particularly from a defense that was on the field for more than 33 minutes of clock time.

Mike Bobo is a poor offensive coordinator. The ‘Dawgs earned one first down and scored no points in the first half. Georgia went three and out four times before the break. The Red and Black continued to try to pound the ball up the middle against a defensive front set up to stop just such an attack; the result was 45 rushing yards on 24 attempts for an average of 1.9 yards per carry. Joe Cox had more rushing yards (8) than Caleb King (7). The usual array of baffling and predictable play calls was evident once again.

Mike Bobo is a fine offensive coordinator. When Caleb King and Richard Samuel weren’t getting it done, Coach Bobo found a way to get the ball into the hands of Washaun Ealey and make some things happen. Georgia’s first second-half drive set up what should have been a chip shot field goal. Georgia’s second drive after intermission was a 60-yard, 18-play masterpiece that ate up nearly eight minutes of clock time and culminated in a shrewd fourth-down pass to Shaun Chapas for the touchdown. Georgia’s fourth drive following halftime moved the ball out and allowed the Bulldogs to flip the field. Georgia’s fifth drive of the second half covered 79 yards in under two minutes and featured a terrific touchdown pass to A.J. Green. The former Bulldog quarterback made sensible halftime adjustments that gave his team a shot at victory.

This team has fundamental flaws that simply are not getting any better. In spite of being a senior, Bryan Evans doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing in the secondary. Penalties at critical junctures made a huge, and perhaps decisive, difference in setting up Louisiana State’s final drive. Cox displayed a Greg Talley-like tunnel vision, frequently failed to find the open receiver, and badly overthrew Green on what ought to have been a touchdown pass. The special teams continue to be a weak point and they are finding new ways to foul up, such as the illegal formation penalty on the final kickoff and Blair Walsh’s missed 32-yard field goal. On top of everything else, after Georgia’s last touchdown, several of the players displayed a lack of discipline by starting off the field, even though the ‘Dawgs obviously were in a position to need to go for two.

The problems that have plagued this team are beginning to be fixed. The Classic City Canines lost no fumbles and Cox threw only one interception . . . and even that lone pick required an instant replay to confirm. The defensive line finally brought some pressure and got some sacks. While it isn’t good to get seven penalties for 59 yards, it’s better than it’s been.

This season is going to be a repeat of 2006. Early close calls against weak opponents proved to be a harbinger of close (and not so close) losses to come when scares against the Colorado Buffaloes and the Mississippi Rebels served as the prelude to four losses in a five-week stretch. The season was only salvaged with wins over ranked yet overrated Auburn and Georgia Tech squads.

This season is going to be a repeat of 2007. The first half of the fall featured a close conference loss at home and a defeat by a wider margin in a lackluster effort against an orange-clad opponent on the road. The Bulldogs somehow managed to scratch and claw their way to a 5-2 record following a road win over the Vanderbilt Commodores, and, after a well-placed open date, Georgia finally put it all together, began playing up to its considerable potential, and went on a 6-0 run to close out the season.

The youth on this team is maddening. Rookie mistakes are killing the ‘Dawgs. Brandon Boykin made a spectacular play on his interception at the goal line, but he caught the ball off-balance and his momentum carried him deeper into the end zone. It was foolish for him to bring the ball out when he should have knelt down, taken the touchback, and given the Red and Black possession at the 20 instead of at the two. Those kinds of youthful blunders are hampering this club on a weekly basis.

The youth on this team is encouraging. Every week, at least one underclassman steps up and proves that the recruiting hype surrounding him was justified. Against the South Carolina Gamecocks, Brandon Boykin and Branden Smith caught our collective attention. Against the Arizona St. Sun Devils, Bacarri Rambo and Rantavious Wooten made their presence felt. Yesterday afternoon, Washaun Ealey began to emerge. There is a ton of young talent wearing silver britches, and those players are only going to get better.

In the end, you saw what you wanted to see and you believe what you already believed. Personally, although I came close (twice) to getting the one-point win I predicted, I feel the same way about this game that I believe South Carolina fans ought to feel about the Gamecocks’ loss to the ‘Dawgs: Georgia almost stole a game the Bulldogs had no business being in a position to win in the first place. The lesson of the season thus far is that the Red and Black aren’t quite as good as teams that are in the top fifteen but are a little bit better than teams that aren’t.

In other words, we are who we thought we were.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Translating Coachspeak

Poseur — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:50:37 -0000

Les Miles spoke with reporters today, and like any good head football coach, he tried to say as little as possible and use as many clichés as he could. It is our duty here at ATVS to try and provide, you, the Tiger fan, with an accurate translation from Coachspeak to American English.

WHAT HE SAID: "I can tell you that Washington is a very good football team and is much improved. We saw them at their best, in my opinion. They were healthiest, and they were least susceptible to depth issues. Injuries are not an issue at this point in the season. I think our football team accomplished the goal. The goal is certainly to win and to overcome the new era of Washington football, the core system team that practiced entirely in the vacuum of their schedule for this LSU team without the need of school and the idea that this LSU team never traveled 2,500 miles and through time zones to play."

WHAT HE MEANT: "Those assholes don't start class until late September, so while we have to obey that BS 20 hour requirement, Washington can treat their players like the pseudo-professionals they are. They were probably out there 60 hours a week, trying to install a gameplan.

They didn't have any injuries, no one on campus, no classes. No distractions. It was a dream. How can I get that here? They got every advantage and we still beat them. Take that, Sark. Oh, I know I'm saying they are a good team now, but I'd like to cover myself in case they go 4-8. It was the injuries."

WHAT HE SAID: "With that being said, it was a job well done, but we didn't play as well as we would've liked. Certainly our football team is understanding that we will play very fine football teams moving forward, and we have to be better. Our football team understands the want to play best. I made that point on Monday when I met with the team, and it came in that group of men that we want to play better. It was a nice way to start the season with a victory. I think we played efficiently."

WHAT HE MEANT: "We beat friggin' Washington by 8 points. That sucks. The spread was what? 17? I yelled myself hoarse at those guys. The team now knows if they put forth the same effort against Vandy, I'm revoking somebody's scholarship."

WHAT HE SAID: "The offensive line played well except for some miscues in communications. If we had eliminated four three-and-outs, the offense would have been in the game longer. They only played 48 snaps. It's hard to get into a real rhythm. I also want you to know that the plan was to get Russell Shepard in the game. That was a want of our staff. But again, in tight quarters, down seven, we wanted to make sure we handled the ball with great efficiency and didn't make mistakes, and I really didn't think it was fair to put a true freshman in the game at that point on the road at Washington."

WHAT HE MEANT: "You think I'm ever trusting a freshman QB again? Shepard ain't touching the ball until we're blowing someone out by three scores. I want to keep my house.

If I ever see the offensive line yelling at Jefferson in front of an ESPN camera, I'm going to choke somebody. No one cares about your opinion, Ciron. You're paid to block people. Did I say paid? I mean granted a scholarship. Scott's not the most nimble of backs. Open a damn hole, then you can complain about the snap count."

WHAT HE SAID: "Defensively, I think early on if we had tackled more crisply, the game is much different. The opportunity to play better is certainly there. I felt that the adjustments that were made at halftime were sound and that our defense played better in the second half. There are five plays in that game that could have been eliminated with tackling and playing the call the way it was supposed to be called. The last drive of 80 yards was the defense playing the situation of the game."

WHAT HE MEANT: "We paid a lot of money to get an established defensive co-ordinator, and that's what I get? If I knew the defense was going to be that lousy, I'd have kept the Malveto. Oh, and to everyone complaining about UW scoring a meaningless touchdown with no time on the clock - bite me."

WHAT HE SAID: "I thought on special teams in the game, Derek Helton, when he hit it, he hit it right. He mishit a couple of punts, and that's not him; that's not how he plays. I felt like Josh Jasper came in, hit four PATs and a field goal and was really good in kickoffs."

WHAT HE MEANT: "Jasper can still punt, right?"

WHAT HE SAID: "Jacob Cutrera, who in his first year starting and first year of a lot of football, tipped the pass and returned it for a touchdown. Certainly, I hope that's the start of a lot of Saturdays for him like that. The issues for us are to improve."

WHAT HE MEANT: "To all of you armchair head coaches who questioned my decision to start Cutrera... in your face."

WHAT HE SAID: ""As we line up against Vanderbilt in Tiger Stadium, this is a team that returns 18 starters. They were a bowl team a year ago and won against Boston College in a bowl game. (Head coach) Bobby Johnson is in his eighth year. He does a great job in coaching. That team is well-coached and is always in position to make plays. They beat Western Carolina, 45-0. They put up 620 total offensive yards against Western Carolina with 433 (yards) rushing. Two freshmen, Zac Stacy had 133 yards and Warren Norman had 105. They have a quarterback in Larry Smith that has mobility and can throw it. He passed for 153 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 66 yards."

WHAT HE SAID: "Yeah, it's Vandy. If we don't win on Saturday, I might as well stop reading my mail."

Into the Tiger Cage

Acid Reign — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:30:09 -0000

Charles Scott can ram through a defense!

War Eagle, everybody! Time now to preview another 2009 Auburn football opponent! On October 24^th, Auburn travels to Baton Rouge to battle the LSU Tigers. With any luck, Auburn will be sporting at least a 5-2 record coming into this contest. LSU's season opens with a long distance trip to Washington, to play the Huskies in Seattle. After that, comes a veritable training camp/exhibition season, featuring Vanderbilt, UL Lafayette, then Mississippi State on the road. Then the meat of the LSU schedule hits, with Georgia on the road, and Florida at home. After the Gator bash, LSU has a week off, to recuperate for the Auburn battle. I figure LSU will be at least 5-1 at that point, possibly 6-0, if the Gators tank as the heavy favorite.

Normally, the Auburn/LSU game is a fight to stay in the SEC Western Division race. This year, most experts don't give Auburn any chance, and many feel that Ole Miss or Alabama will rule the West. LSU returns 13 starters, plus a whole lot more good players with experience. In addition, Co-defensive coordinators Peveto and Mallory are gone, after the LSU defense gave up 50+ points to Georgia and Florida, and 30+ to their last 3 regular season opponents. Taking over the defense is former Tennessee Vol coordinator John Chavis. Chavis does have some holes to fill, especially on the defensive line, where only one starter returns, senior tackle Charles Alexander. There is talent and depth still up front, though, and some experience. LSU will rotate front seven guys frequently, ensuring stamina deep into the 4^th quarter of most games. One of the league's worst secondaries figures to be improved, after throwing some young guys like cornerback Patrick Peterson to the wolves, last season. Peterson started the last 4 games of 2008 as a true freshman.

The LSU offense will be led again by the huge, rampaging Charles Scott, with depth at running back behind him. LSU's spotty quarterback play, and interception returns for touchdowns cost them dearly last season, and all indications from this spring are that things will be better, under center. There is some youth on the LSU offensive line, especially at center and left guard, where sophomores T-Bob Hebert and Josh Dworaczyk appear poised to start. Veteran mammoth all SEC senior tackle Ciron Black anchors the all important left tackle spot. The receiver corps should be a strength, led by all-SEC senior Brandon LaFell, and senior tight end Richard Dixon.

The LSU special teams should remain special, again in 2009. The highlight would have to be the electrifying return man, senior Trindon Holliday. LSU returns solid coverage, but has to replace placekicker Colt David and punter Brady Dalfrey. At placekicker, LSU will look to junior Josh Jasper, a kickoff specialist. At punter, the leader is junior college transfer Derek Helton.

Matchups

Auburn defensive line vs. LSU offensive line: Auburn will be strong on the D-line in 2009, led by Antonio Coleman, and LSU will have two new starters. But, the LSU line is a strong one, featuring a pair of huge tackles in senior Ciron Black and junior Joseph Barksdale. The pair bring 53 starts into the season. Senior guard Lyle Hitt adds 26 starts to the mix. One might think that the chink in the LSU armor is with new center, sophomore T-Bob Hebert. It's not likely the case. Hebert is an SEC academic honor-role guy, and he's also 301 pounds. Where Auburn's best shot is, is attacking the LSU guards. They are smaller, around 285 pounds, than the other three. Might be a good opportunity to utilize bull-rushing specialists Mike Blanc and Jake Ricks. Advantage: Even.

Auburn linebackers vs. LSU runners: Auburn's Craig Stevens and Josh Bynes have faced LSU's Charles Scott before, and were a bit worse for the wear, giving up 6.3 yards per carry. However, Scott didn't manage any touchdowns in 2008 against Auburn. Unfortunately, those two are the only Auburn linebackers with significant experience. Scott's a senior, and led the SEC in rushing touchdowns last year. He's got an interesting lead blocker ahead of him, in 221 pound sophomore Stevan Ridley. Ridley was redshirted his first season, then worked mostly as a mop-up power back, last year. LSU also has change-of-pace guys they can bring off the bench, including the ever-dangerous burner Trindan Holliday, and senior Keiland Williams. Advantage: LSU.

Auburn corners vs. LSU receivers: For the past two seasons, the Auburn secondary has been carved up by LSU passers in the 2^nd half. Auburn's Walter McFadden should be seasoned enough to hold his own against the likes of Brandon LaFell, but on the other side, and at nickel, young corners like Neiko Thorpe will likely struggle. And it's not just the senior LaFell that Auburn has to cover. Junior Terrance Toliver has been around the block a few times, as has senior Chris Mitchel. LSU won a recruiting war with Auburn, for prize receiver Reuben Randle, who figures to leap immediately into LSU's playing rotation. Advantage: LSU.

Auburn safeties vs. LSU secondary receivers and quarterback: Auburn's safeties will be a year older and wiser, this season, and hopefully healthy by game seven. There is danger in the LSU slot guys, too. Senior all-SEC tight end Richard Dickson has surprising speed for a tight end, and great hands. There is young talent behind him, too. Slot receiver R. J. Jackson has had a good spring. Don't forget, LSU moves Trindan Holliday into the slot, from time to time. LSU's Achilles heel last season, was bad quarterback play. Andrew Hatch is gone, and the nation's leader in pick-sixes, Jarrett Lee, is on the bench. Sophomore Jordan Jefferson will start, and he's looked good this spring, hitting 8 of 10 in the spring game. Jefferson seems to have great mobility, and a strong arm. Even if Jefferson doesn't pan out, one would have to think Lee would be better, with a year of experience under his belt. Advantage: LSU.

Punting: Clinton Durst brings his 42.1 yard average back for another season on the Plains. LSU seems to have settled on junior college transfer Derek Helton. Helton managed only about 39 yards per kick in the spring, but he does kick it very high. Auburn's returner hasn't been decided. LSU will go with Chad Jones, who averaged 11.9 yards per return in limited work last year. Auburn's coverage unit gave up 7.0 yards per return last year, LSU gave up 8.5. Advantage: Auburn.

Kickoffs: Auburn's Wes Byrum averaged about 67 yards per kickoff during the spring, and appeared very consistent during the A-Day game. LSU will go with junior Josh Jasper, who averaged 60.9 in 2008. Auburn junior Mario Fannin is the most experienced kick return man, averaging 22.5 yards per return. LSU's senior Trindan Holliday averaged 22.9. Auburn's coverage unit gave up 21.5 yards per return, LSU's gave up only 17.6. Advantage: LSU.

Placekicking: Wes Byrum returns for his third year for Auburn, having hit 27 of his 42 career attempts. Kickoff specialist Josh Jasper takes over as the placekicker, for LSU. Jasper hit 2 of 2 field goals last season, but was 0-1 in the spring game, missing a 50-yard attempt. On experience, it's Advantage: Auburn.

Auburn offensive line vs. LSU defensive line: By all accounts, the fire is back in the Auburn offensive line, this year. With 4 veteran starters, plus 5^th year senior Andrew McCain, Auburn will field a good unit, led by junior preseason All-SEC tackle Lee Ziemba. LSU will rotate about 8 guys up front on defense, and while only one starter returns, they still should be nasty. 310-pound senior tackle Charles Alexander anchors the middle. Watch out for vicious senior end Rahim Alem. While he only started one game in 2008, he was still second team All-SEC. Advantage: LSU.

Auburn backs vs. LSU linebackers: Auburn should have some weapons in the backfield, led by senior running back Ben Tate. LSU has returning senior strong side linebacker Perry Riley, who was a Butkus finalist in 2008. Backup middle linebacker, senior Jacob Cutrera moves up to start. Cutrera has a LOT of experience. Projected to start on the weak side is a converted safety, senior Harry Coleman. If there's a weakness on the LSU squad, it's linebacker depth. Several true freshmen will be likely backups. Advantage: Even.

Auburn receivers vs. LSU corners: Gone is leading receiver Rod Smith, for Auburn, as well as veterans Robert Dunn and Chris Slaughter. The leaders going into fall camp appear to be Tim Hawthorne, Montez Billings, and Darvin Adams. Signee DeAngelo Benton is reportedly turning heads in summer workouts. Hawthorne has a knack for missing preseason practice, and likely will miss two a days, after breaking a foot in summer workouts. Sophomore LSU corner Patrick Peterson started the last 4 games of 2008, and had a bit of a baptism by fire. Peterson has the potential to become a lock-down corner. Senior Chris Hawkins IS a lock-down corner. Some of the players that were frequently torched last year, such as Jai Eugene, come back a year stronger and wiser. Advantage: LSU.

Auburn secondary receivers and quarterback vs. LSU safeties: Senior tight end Tommy Trott should be solid, and junior Mario Fannin showed flashes in the slot, but quarterback play for Auburn is still a question. LSU junior free safety Chad Jones is a phenom. Jones has safety size at 6'-3", 214 pounds, but corner speed, with great hands. Senior Danny McCray will likely start at the other safety spot, and LSU has some athletic depth behind that. Advantage: LSU.

On paper, the only places Auburn appears to have an advantage is at placekicker and punter. If Auburn has capable quarterbacking in place by late October, they should be able to give LSU a battle, taking advantage of a slightly thinner than usual linebacking corps. If Auburn's quarterbacks haven't improved from last year , this game will be very ugly. Auburn may also be able to capitalize if LSU's quarterbacking hasn't improved over last season. In addition, the off date gives LSU an extra week to work on Gus Malzhan's unconventional offense. Of all the matchups Auburn faces in 2009, this one appears to be the most difficult.

Prediction: A rested, schooled LSU squad is too much for Auburn. The visiting Tigers play hard, but take a 41-27 loss.

In Case You Haven't Figured Out, This Will Be Recruiting Week at ATVS

Richard Pittman — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:30:09 -0000

First, a congratulations to GasHouseGorillas, who celebrated the birth of his first child yesterday. GasHouseGorillas, in case you didn't know, is my older brother. Liam Casey Pittman was born yesterday at around 11:00am, weighing in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces and measuring an impressive 19.5 inches. Sadly, if the Pittman genes have anything to say about it, great athleticism is probably not in his future, Cousin Kirston notwithstanding.

Continuing on with the topic at hand.

With the Long, Dark Offseason of the Soul continuing for another few weeks, we are scrounging just a bit for topics to discuss here at ATVS. What's good for the bloggers is not necessarily good for the team, as I pointed out in this post about all news being bad news. Things are mighty quiet around the LSU athletic facilities, with nary a serious injury (since the Tim Molten injury), an arrest, or a transfer to discuss. We think transfers are coming, as I think we still have a little ways to go to get under scholarship limits, but they're not out there right now.

So this week, barring the introduction of any real news, we will be going over LSU recruiting for 2010 in the morning, and profiling 2009 signees in the afternoon. The 2009 profiles will continue until we're done with them.

Of course, there may be some real news, as SEC Media Days are upon us starting on Wednesday. Usually, if there is any SEC Media Days news, it is purely of the manufactured variety, and I am not really planning on spending a lot of my energy discussing it. I will, however, be reading Team Speed Kills' coverage, as he should have the hook-up for me. If anything important happens in Birmingham, he'll tell us all. I'll actually be doing a little podcast with him later this week. Be sure to check that out when it happens.

In the meantime, a little 2010 recruiting is in order. First, I would like to quote an article I wrote back in March on the subject of 2010 recruiting, back when little was known about most of the recruits we'll be signing:

For reasons I can't entirely explain, we seem to have a two-year cycle on the perception of in-state recruiting and our ability to recruit great players from out of state. For example, 2007 was a banner year for recruiting in the State of Louisiana, with two 5-star players produced by the state: Joe McKnight and Chad Jones, along with several very highly regarded 4-star type players. Not only that, but LSU's recruiting class was widely considered about the most solid in the country, with 21 four- and five-star commitments signed, including 5-star Terrance Toliver, and only a handful of 3-stars. This resulted in a #4 ranking according to Rivals, and was generally considered to be an outstanding class.

Contrast that with the 2008 recruiting class. It was much more heavily weighted towards 3-stars, with thirteen 3-star players signed, along with thirteen 4- and 5-star players. There were no in-state 5-stars. With the exception of Patrick Peterson (formerly Patrick Johnson), our out-of-state recruiting was considered lackluster, as it was believed we got a lot of guys who were other teams' leftovers. Examples include Derrick Bryant, Alex Hurst, and Kyle Prater, 3-stars out of Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas respectively. It was considered a down year and was ranked #11 by Rivals (fourth in the SEC).

The early results on both of these classes (keeping in mind that the 2007 class has had an extra year to develop and an extra year to have players wash out) is that these classes are more-or-less equal. From the 2007 class, we had 4 players get essentially a starters' share of playing time last year: Chad Jones, Terrance Toliver, Joseph Barksdale, and Jarrett Lee. Kicker/punter Josh Jasper was also a big contributor. A couple players slid right into backup positions and appear to be poised to be starters this year: Drake Nevis, Josh Dworaczyk and Will Blackwell. A few more have contributed as backups and on special teams and look to stay in those positions for now while they wait for more experienced players to clear out: Stevan Ridley, Phelon Jones, Ron Brooks, Mitch Joseph, etc., etc.

But look at the 2008 class. The QB from the 2008 class appears to have beaten out the QB from the 2007 class for the starter job, despite one fewer year in the system. Patrick Peterson beat out all the 2007 corners signed and became a starter. Ryan Baker was a monster on special teams and looks like he might win a starter's position this year. Brandon Taylor will compete as well, now and in the future. Offensive lineman Alex Hurst is drawing raves and many close to the program believe he'll be one of the next outstanding LSU offensive linemen, and he was one of the "leftovers".

My conclusion is that, at this time, it appears the 2008 LSU recruiting class was just as good as the 2007 class. It's hard to say how much of that was the 2007 class being overrated (just look at the guys who left the program without ever contributing: Jordon Corbin (sadly, due to injuries), Delvin Breaux (likewise), Jarvis Jones (kicked off; not to mention the ones who just don't look like they're going to be good players (no names mentioned at this time), and how much of it was the 2008 class being underrated.* I think it's a little of both.

That's my conclusion. My point is that the 2009 class was highly regarded, both in- and out-of-state, and so we're due for a down cycle in perception. The 2010 Louisiana recruiting class is not considered to be as great as the 2009 class or the 2007 class. It's considered more like the 2008 class. I wouldn't buy it though. Try not to get too high about the highs or too low about the lows. There will be lots of solid players in this class from the State of Louisiana. We will also sign some very good players from out of state, maybe even some real blue chippers.

Just calibrate your conclusions according to the inevitable result that it will be perceived to be middling. I think it's just part of the psyche of LSU fans and of recruiting observers in general. We're coming off a serotonin high of a great recruiting class. It's time for a bit of a come down. It's time, I guess, for the heroin half of our recruiting speedball to kick in (sorry, criminal defense lawyer-mode came out for a second).

I am wrong a LOT. I will be the first to admit that, but sometimes I get it exactly right, and I think this is one of those times.

Right now, LSU has 18 officially recognized commitments for the 2010 class. Ten are listed as 3-stars on Scout. Eight are listed as 3-star (or are unrated) on Rivals. Overall, this is shaping up to be a class more like the 2008 class than like the 2007 or 2009 classes. There are a lot of prospects in this class that are getting little attention nationwide. There are a few sleepers in the class like Sam Gibson (one of my favorite prospects, by the way), Houston Bates, Cameron Fordham, and Elliott Porter.

There are not a high number of in-state prospects that are getting a lot of love from the recruiting media. Rivals only lists 8 Louisiana prospects with 4 stars, and none with 5 stars. I expect two of those (Terrance Broadway and Munchie Legaux) to drop down to 3-stars soon, but they may be replaced by one or more new 4-star prospects. This compares to 14 four- and five-star prospects from the 2009 class, 11 in the 2008 class, and 17 in the 2007 class. This is clearly a year more like 2008 as far as the in-state prospects are perceived.

But as pointed out, the 2008 class appears to be a very good class, with Jordan Jefferson and Patrick Peterson being the headliners of that class so far. Peterson was all-world, but Jefferson was a sleeper who did not earn an offer until after his senior year was finished. The 2008 class was full of players who were probably a little underappreciated, like Karnell Hatcher, Greg Shaw, and Alex Hurst. I am thinking that this 2010 class will probably end up the same way.

Tomorrow and Thursday, we will discuss just a little bit about the little guys (receivers, defensive backs, etc.), and then on Friday we will start to profile some of the linemen that have decided to call LSU home in a year. We'll play it by ear after that, but at some point next week we'll get into the "Where Do We Go From Here" discussion of recruiting.

2009 CFN LSU Preview, Part 2

Richard Pittman — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:37:21 -0000

Yesterday, we discussed CFN's preview of LSU and how it pertained to the new defensive coaching staff, Jordan Jefferson, and a few incoming freshmen. Today, we look at a few more topics.

The 10 Best Players on the Team:

Ten Best Tiger Players
1. WR Brandon LaFell, Sr.
2. RB Charles Scott, Sr.
3. OT Ciron Black, Sr.
4. LB Perry Riley, Sr.
5. DE Rahim Alem, Sr.
6. TE Richard Dickson, Sr.
7. QB Jordan Jefferson, Soph.
8. DT Drake Nevis, Jr.
9. LB/S Harry Coleman, Sr.
10. CB Patrick Peterson, So.

Well, at least he didn't name an incoming freshman as one of our 10 best players.

I think 1 through 3 are right on, or at least I only disagree in their order. I would put Ciron ahead of Charles Scott, but if you asked me who the 3 best players on the team are, those are the three I would name. After that, we start getting into some murky waters on who *I* would name, but CFN pretty much goes off the rails with the #4 pick.

I happen to be quite fond of Perry Riley as a player. When he was a freshman getting mop-up duty, I saw glimpses of a budding star. Last year, as a junior, he finally got a chance to start, and the results were solid, but underwhelming. One of my general principles in observing player development is that "the player you are as a junior is probably the player you will be as a senior." By your junior year you have some experience on the field. You should know the system. Your body should be fully matured and you should be in the best shape you'l ever be in. I have no empirical data to back this up, but I firmly suspect that the vast majority of players in college football do not make great strides in their game between their junior and senior seasons.

This is no indictment of Perry Riley. I think he's a fine player and a solid linebacker for us. I just do not believe he is going to be in the same stratosphere with guys like Rennie Curran, Brandon Spikes, and Rolando McClain. And who knows? There's reason to believe that last year's team didn't get all it could get out of the linebackers. Maybe Perry Riley is a coiled spring ready to be released. Pete Fiutak seems to think so:

Best Defensive Player: Senior LB Perry Riley. DE Rahim Alem should be the team's star pass rusher and he should be an all-SEC selection, while tackle Drake Nevis could grow into the special player to build around. But it's Riley who has the size, range, and experience to be the biggest playmaker in the more aggressive system and he should be a stat-sheet filler on the outside in a veteran linebacking corps.

If this is true of Riley, then either he greatly improved in the offseason, or our defensive coaches were worse than we thought last year.

After Riley, the next two are very defensible. Rahim Alem is, after all, a returning 1st team All-SEC performer. Many people would place him even further up this list, perhaps even at #1. Richard Dickson is an experienced and consistently productive tight end whose blocking skills are greatly underrated in my opinion.

Here is also, though, where we get to an omission. We all know what kind of an athlete Chad Jones is. How many starting free safeties are also the best left-handed pitcher on his particular campus? And bat over .300? And can chase down Darren McFadden from behind? Yes, it's not like Chad Jones tore it up last year, but Fiutak has shown himself to not be shy about projecting great increases in production from year to year (see Riley, Perry). If you're going to project that sort of thing, Jones is the better candidate. It is widely acknowledged, even by Jones himself, that he was misused last year, moving from position to position between plays, confusing him and leading often to him being out of position or scrambling even to get on the field. With him parked at the free safety spot, a monster year can be expected of him.

After this, I think it becomes very difficult to differentiate between a number of possible candidates to add to the 10 best. Here is my list:

1. Brandon Lafell, Sr. WR
2. Ciron Black, Sr., OL
3. Charles Scott, Sr., RB
4. Rahim Alem, Sr., DE
5. Chad Jones, Jr., S
6. Richard Dickson, Sr., TE
7. Patrick Peterson, So., CB
8. Drake Nevis, Jr., DT
9. Lyle Hitt, Sr., OL
10. Perry Riley, Sr., LB

That's right. I put Perry Riley in the top 10 anyway, but really at this point you could have put Harry Coleman, Keiland Williams, Joseph Barksdale, Chris Hawkins, Jacob Cutrera, Josh Jasper, or even special teams sensation Ryan Baker.

On LSU's Schedule:

LSU isn't exactly extending itself in the non-conference slate, even though it's not the program's fault that Washington stinks. The SEC schedule is nasty with Georgia and Florida to deal with from the East, while trips to Alabama and Ole Miss in November could end any hopes of winning the SEC West. Holding serve at home, even against Florida and Auburn, will be a must with three road trips in four weeks down the stretch. The battle against the Gators on October 10th could be a preview of the SEC Championship

...

The season will be a success if ... LSU wins the SEC West. Just getting to Atlanta for the SEC title will require a war and a negotiation of landmines with road trips to Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss to deal with, along with home games against Florida and Auburn. But this is LSU, and to shoot for anything less than the SEC title is selling the team short after loading up with talented recruiting class after talented recruiting class.

Nov. 7 at Alabama. The Tigers can split against Georgia and Florida from the East and still win the West, but it'll take wins at Alabama and Ole Miss to get the job done. If they lose to the Tide, the game in Oxford will end up being to shake out the pecking order for the bowls. If they can beat their old head coach, Nick Saban, and get a little revenge after losing last year's thriller, then LSU will be in the thick of the SEC title hunt.

I will have a lot more thoughts on this particular subject later. It is pretty much unmistakable that our nonconference schedule (@Washington, UL-Lafayette, @Tulane, La Tech) is a sure 4 wins with probably not a game in there that will be closer than a 20 point differential. We also have what appears to be the toughest conference slate of anyone. (@Georgia, Florida, @Alabama, @Ole Miss). My quick thoughts on that are, a) I think Georgia is better than most people think, b) Florida is a tall order for this or any other team to beat, but at least we get them at home, c) Bama's offense is not going to be nearly as good as it was last year but the defense should be stellar barring injuries, and d) Ole Miss isn't sneaking up on anyone this time around.

Our other four conference games are Vandy, @Mississippi State, Auburn, Arkansas. Vandy should be halfway decent, but I don't think they're in our class. Mississippi State is going to struggle. I keep going back and forth on Auburn between thinking they'll be better than everyone expected and realizing that their head coach has a career 5-19 record. Arkansas is a very solid team who can and may beat anyone on their schedule, including us.

Its a difficult schedule, but every one of these games is winnable. We have 3 sets of 4 games. Four nonconference games that should not be particularly stressful. Four conference games against teams that are probably not as good as us, but we need to avoid let-downs to avoid upsets. Four conference games against very good teams. The key I think will be avoiding upsets against the 8 teams we really should beat. If we do that, we really have something to play for in the 4 games against really good teams.

That's all for today. We continue this series tomorrow with even more thoughts on the schedule and other topics.